Coin chute structure



March 12, 1968 T. A. REEDY, IR 3,372,733

COIN CHUTE STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 26, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig.

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COIN CHUTE STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 26, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet :i

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INVENTOR. Teme/noe United States Patent O 3,372,783 G01N CHUTE STRUCTURE Terrence A. Reedy, Jr., Skokie, lill., assignor to Lion Manufacturing Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of iliuois Filed Aug. 26, 1966, Ser. No. 575,404' 11 Claims. (Cl. 1941) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE The coin drop or guide comprises assembled plates of a particular coniiguration delining a coin passage having au exit to overlie the coin entrance to a removable type of coin testing chute, with formations adjacent such exit for separable interlit with a part of the testing chute whereby to stabilize the coin drop or guide and maintain the exit thereof in alignment with the coin entrance while permitting ready removal of the testing chute.

This invention relates to coin testing apparatus and has as its principal object the provision of an improved type of coin guiding means employed as an auxiliary attachment to conventional coin testing and accepting units to facilitate mounting the same in a ganged assembly on a panel or door surface and performing the function of guiding deposited coins to a certain position of registry with the coin entrance into the testing chute.

The auxiliary attachment, more particularly referred to as a coin drop or guide structure is of a simple and economical character easily installed in cooperative relation to the coin testing chute and having certain structural vfeatures which are especially contrived and formed to effect a stabilizing engagement with mounting cradles of the type commonly employed to seat such coin testing units in various types of coin-controlled equipment, in a manner which will not interfere with the seating in, and removal from the cradle of such testing unit, and which will not require special tools or assembly operations, the stabilizing engagement serving to maintain a coin exit in the drop chute in effective registry with the point of entry of coins passing into the testing unit.

Further objects and aspects of utility and novelty relate to details of the construction and operation of the embodiment described for illustrative purposes in view of the annexed drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of a coin chute assembly on the inside of the cabinet door of a vending machine;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged rear elevational view of one of the coin chute units seen in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a front perspective view of the apparatus seen in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view of parts of the coin drop assembly;

FIGURE 5 is an endwise elevation of the parts of FIGURE 4 in assembled condition;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the assembly seen FIGURE 2.

The coin chute assembly seen in FIGURE l comprises a plurality of coin testing accepting rejecting units or chutes 10 of conventional construction and of which there are several types available commercially. The testing or accepting mechanism itself is of well known character which requires no detailed description for present purposes, it being sufficient to state that each such unit 10 is of a flat rectangular conliuration adapted for removable seating in a cradle 11 or mounting structure commonly consisting of a channel-shaped plate having a flange 12 aflixed as at 13 to a mounting surface, a rear wall 14 which lies parallel to the chute body 1t), and a CTI ice

rear flange 15 which stands away from said mounting surface.

At both sides of the bottom of each coin testing chute 10 are pivot pins 16 which drop into slots 17 formed at the bottom of the flanges 12 and 15, and each chute also has another pair of pins 1'8 at its opposite top margins, said pins being engageable with spring-urged catch levers 19 respectively pivoted on the two cradle llanges 12 and 15 at the tops thereof. The coin testing chutes are easily inserted in their cradles, FIGURES 1 and 2, by setting the bottom pivot pins into their cradle slots 17 and then pivoting the chute body upwardly until the top pins 18 snap beneath the spring catches 19.

One of the characteristics of the type of coin testing chute described and commonly employed in vending machines, is the provision of a coin entrance Ztl in the upper corner region of the chute body. Coins delivered into this eut-rance gravitate along guided pat-hs interiorly of the chute past certain well-known testing instrumentalities which cause genuine coins to be delivered to an acceptance exit 21 and spurious coins to be delivered to a discharge exit 22, both at the bottom margins of the chute,I

Control means such as the sensitive switches 24 each having a wire actuating arm 25 projecting into the path of acceptable coins at the acceptance exit, are commonly employed to trigger the various vending or other coincontrolled devices associated therewith, such control switches in many instances being mounted on the testing chutes lil rather than on the mounting cradles, so that replacement of the entire control unit, comprising the testing chute and the coin-actuated switch, may be removed or installed for servicing or replacement very easily and quickly in a single operation by lifting the catches 19 and rocking out the existing chute installation and snapping a new unit into position.

Coin acceptors or test units 1li of the class described commonly retain certain unacceptable and fraudulent coin elements, such as spurious and mutilated coins and various vandalizing deposits, until some form of clearing or return mechanism is operated to cause a sidewise gating wall portion 10G, FIGURE l, to swing out and expel or free the unacceptable element, such action being effected by pushing a return plunger 26 projecting through the mounting wall, door or member 9A at the front thereof, as viewed in FIGURE 3, such action usually causing return of the coin element into a return cup 27.

In order to mount a plurality of coin testing units in a gang assembly on a relatively small mounting surface, such as the rear of cabinet door 9, it is necessary to dispose the chutes in side-by-side parallel relation with the planes thereof at right angles to the mounting wall or door; and in order to locate the control switches 24 away from such wall to facilitate wiring, inspection and servicing, the several coi-n entrances 20, by reason of the universal construction of such chutes, are necessarily disposed at a distance from said wall also, with the result that some means must be provided to guide deposited coins from the coin-receiving or deposit slots 28, FIG. -URE 3, on the outer side 9A of the mounting wall or door back to the distantly situated coin chute entrances 26.

The present disclosures provide a simplified coin drop or guide structure which effects delivery of deposited coins the required distance; which is in part supportably engaged with the cradle structure in a way to deposit the coins in proper alignment with the coin entrance 20 of the testing chute without obstructing the latter in a way which would impair the easy installation and removal of the chutes from their cradle; which is of a simple and economical character and can be very quickly disengaged from any cradle structure of the same class, but not necessarily the same manufacture, without tools by reason of the form and location of certain slotted stabilizing means to be described; and which does not interfere with a proper dynamic entry of the deposited coins into the testing chute nor in any way interfere with the ganged side-by-side assembly of numerous cradles and their respective coin-testing assemblies.

As viewed in FIGURE 1, each coin drop or guide structure is of generally elongated, rectangular contiguration, and is tubular to afford an internal coin passage 31, FIGURES 4 and 5, having a coin exit 32 near the lower rearward terminus thereof. The configuration and tubular character of the structure is the result of the assembly of a pair of elongated formed plates 30A and 30B. FIGURE 4, each having opposite flanges 34A, 34B struck up along the longitudinal margins thereof and dimensioned and situated so that the ianges of one plate intert with those of the other in the manner depicted in FIGURE 5, and space the two plates apart to define the aforesaid coin passage. At their inner or rearward ends, the plates have their lower flanges interrupted and the material is cut away on an angle so that the margins A, 35B slant upwardly, these configurations flanking the coin discharge or exit opening 32 in the assembled condition of the plates.

One of the pair of drop chute plates 30A has its inner end terminating in a tab 36 adapted to lit into a slot 37 formed in a laterally offset arm 38 formed in the other plate 30B in the assembled condition of the plates as seen in FIGURES 5 and 6, it being noted in FIGURE 4 that the offset leg 3S has its lower margin 38A disposed at an elevation above the bottom line of the passage in part exposing the coin exit 32 and affording a clearance margin, as indicated at 38X in FIGURES l and 2, to permit positive clearance of the top of the testing chute in seating or departing from its cradle.

When the two drop chute plates 30A and 30B of FIG- URE 4 are fitted together in operative assembly, as in FIGURES 5 and 6 (or FIGURE 2), the tab 36 is first passed into the slot 37 in leg 38, and the forward or receiving end of the drop chute is set into a vertical slot 4t) cut through the mounting wall or door panel 9-9A in alignment with the coin receiving entrance 2S disposed in an escutcheon plate 43 affixed on the outside of the panel or door, and the assembled plates are secured in this condition by means of a pair of side cleats 45 respectively spot-welded on the outerside of each of the plates 30A and 30B near the forward ends thereof, said cleats being perforated to pass mounting bolts 45, FIG- URES 1", 2 and 6, attaching them to the mounting panel or door at appropriate levels above the appertaining chute cradles for alignment with the respective coin entrances in the corresponding chtite bodies seated therein.

Means for positively securing the terminal or rearward dropout ends of each drop chute in proper position with their respective coin exits overlying the appertaining coin entrances 20, comprises the provision of a pendant finger on each offset plate arm 38, each such finger having formed therein a notch 51 of a width and in a position to overlie and fit onto an upper marginal portion of the corresponding cradle in such location that when a proper testing chute is seated in the cradle, the coin entrance 2b thereof will lie in full registry with the coin exit 32 in the drop chute, the construction and mounting means for the latter being of such stable and rugged character that the entire apparatus will withstand considerable abuse before the effective alignment and registry aforesaid can be disturbed.

While the dimensions of each coin drop chute can be made to pass only coins of a given maximum diameter, it is preferred to dimension them in a Stock size to accept coins of the diameter of a quarter for most installations, this construction also being capable of admitting the smaller denominations, such as nickels, dimes, and pennies.

It will be evident from the foregoing specification that the drop chute structure has a coin entry at its forward terminus or extremity, and a lateral coin exit in advance of its rearward terminus, with stabilizing slot means adjacent its rearward extremity adapted to engage an edgewise margin of the testing apparatus to maintain the rearward part of the chute immovable and spaced above the testing apparatus but securely in alignment with the coinreceiving entrance.

I claim:

The combination, with coin testing apparatus having a coin entrance and means mounting said apparatus on a supporting surface which includes a coin deposit opening located at a point remote from and above said entrance, of a coin delivery chute in the form of an elongated tubular structure having front and rear terminal portions and openings thereat respectively near the longitudinal extremities thereof and connected by a coin passage within said structure', forward support means disposing the delivery chute 4structure at a level above said apparatus with the forward terminal opening thereof in fixed alignment with said deposit opening and at an elevation above the rear terminal opening thereof, and with said latter opening overlying said coin entrance, said rear terminal opening defining an exit for coin elements traversing said passage from the coin deposit opening into the coin testing apparatus; and stablizing means comprising a member projecting from the delivery chute structure adjacent said rear terminal opening thereof and having separable stabilizing engagement with a part of said coin testing apparatus and operative to maintain said rear terminal portions of the delivery chute structure in predetermined cooperative alignment with said testing apparatus to lsecure said exit in register with said coin entrance.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said stabilizing means is constructed and arranged for engagement with said part of the testing apparatus in such manner as to prevent substantial displacement of the rear terminal portions of the delivery chute structure relative to said testing apparatus in directions included in a plane lying substantially at right angles to the plane containing the coin moving from said exit into said entrance, whereby to maintain the condition of registry aforesaid.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said stabilizing means is furthe-r constructed and arranged to permit relative movement between the said rear terminal portions of the delivery chute and the part of the testing apparatus engaged thereby in a direction substantially at right angles to the directions of prevented dispiacement aforesaid, whereby the chute structure may be separated from engagement with the testing apparatus and vice versa if either the chute structure or testing apparatus is otherwise free to be moved.

4. A combination according to claim 1 wherein said tubular structure comprises a pair of elongated mating plates each having opposite longitudinal margins along which portions are formed over to define upper and lower longitudinal flanges, the flanges of one plate interiitting with those of the other plate in assembled relation and spacing the plates apart to 4afford a space constituting said coin passage.

5. The construction as defined in claim 4 wherein said forward support means comprises a mounting cleat secured to the side of each said plate near the forward ends thereof, said cleats -being adapted for engagement `with the supporting surface aforesaid.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the said flanges along the lower margins of said plates are omitted near the rearward terminal portions of the plates whereby to define said rear terminal opening of the delivery chtite.

7. In the combination of claim l, stabilizing means wherein said member projecting from the delivery chute structure adjacent said rear terminal opening includes a pendant portion offset from the plane of movement of a coin leaving said terminal opening to overlie an upper edge portion of said mounting means for the testing apparatus, said pendant portion having formed therein a downwardly-opening slot intertting with said upper edge portion of the mounting means for stabilizing engagement as set forth.

8. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said stabilizing means comprises the provision on one of said plates of a lateral offset having a downwardly projecting foot containing a downwardly-opening slot adapted to engage an edge portion of said mounting means for the coin testing apparatus whereby to maintain the rearward portions of the coin delivery chute structure in predetermined operative register Vwith the position occupied by said coin deposit opening in the testing apparatus as set forth.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 further characterized in that said plates have intertting tab and slot means near the rearward terminal portions thereof coacting in assembled relation of the plates to retain the same in assembly at least at said rearward portions thereof.

10. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said lateral oset extends across said coin passage to close the latter at said rearward terminal portions of the chute structure, and said offset continues substantially beyond the plane containing the companion plate member and said downwardly protecting foot depends from said offset at a point -beyond said plane to a position overlying the edge portion of the mounting means as aforesaid wherein said downwardly opening slot can interfit with said edge portion for the purpose set forth.

1'1. Coin-testing apparatus for mounting on a substantially vertical surface which includes a coin deposit opening; means mounting said apparatus on said surface at a level below said deposit opening; said apparatus including a plate portion contained in a plane projecting sub stantially at right angles to said 4surface and having a coinreceiving entrance extending in approximate parallelism with said rst plane and adapted to receive coins oriented in a third plane which is in alignment with the plane of a coin traversing said coin deposit entrance; and a coin drop chute of elongated character having an entry at its forward terminus and an exit laterally from the Ibottom thereof in advance of its rearward terminus; rigid, stabilizing means at said rearward terminus providing an open slot having removable intert with an upper marginal edge portion of said plate and affording stabilizing support for rearward portions of said drop chute and positioned to align said coin exit thereof with said coin-receiving entrance in the testing apparatus in a predetermined upwardly spaced clearance above the latter; and means securing the forward part of the drop chute in engagement with said surface at a higher level than said rearward part thereof and with the coin entry at the forward terminal portion of the drop chute in fixed `alignment with said coin deposit entrance to receive coins from the latter for gravitating guidance by the drop chute to and from said exit into said coin-receiving entrance in the testing apparatus.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,676,914 7/1928 Paulson l94-97.2 2,532,205 11/1950 Summers 194-102 2,630,200 3/1953 Hehn 194--102 X 2,763,356 9/1956 Tratsch 194-101 STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Prl'mmy Examiner. 

